What New Workforce Dynamics Mean for Black Professionals
The last two years have resulted in a paradigm shift in the global workforce. The pandemic drastically changed behavioral norms– and businesses and employees alike had to adjust to the new rules of corporate America. Businesses had to identify ways to retain productive employees, particularly during the “Great Resignation of 2021 which saw thousands of employees exit the workforce to seek better working conditions, compensation, and opportunities. As corporations set up for remote working, they also engaged in culture work – having outside consultants perform a culture audit, work on team dynamics, and identify ways to shift the corporate culture toward a more collegial environment. These...
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Lusia Harris, The Only Woman Drafted To An NBA Team, Dies At 66
Photo: Getty Images Lusia Harris, the only woman officially drafted by an NBA team passed away in her native Mississippi at the age of 66, her family announced Tuesday (January 18). "We are deeply saddened to share the news that our angel, matriarch, sister, mother, grandmother, Olympic medalist, the Queen of Basketball, Lusia Harris has passed away unexpectedly today in Mississippi," Harris' family said in a statement."The recent months brought Ms. Harris great joy, including the news of an upcoming wedding of her youngest son and the outpouring of recognition received by a recent documentary that brought worldwide attention to her story," the statement continues. Harris made history in 1977, after being drafted...
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Boston Bruins Retire Jersey Of Willie O’Ree, NHL’s First Black Player
Photo: Getty Images The Boston Bruins retired Willie O'Ree's No. 22 jersey before Tuesday's (January 18) Bruins-Hurricanes game. According to a Bruins press release, players took the ice for warm-ups in special-edition jerseys with commemorative Willie O'Ree patches prior to the barrier-breaking hockey player's ceremony. "The ice will feature newly-installed No. 22 decals behind each team's net, which will remain on display for three home games," the Bruins announced. O'Ree broke the NHL's color barrier in 1958, becoming the first Black player to compete in an NHL game exactly 64 years ago when the Bruins took on the Montreal Canadiens on January 18, 1958. "It was something that...
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André Leon Talley, Legendary ‘Vogue’ Editor, Dead At 73
Courtesy of Black Information Network André Leon Talley has died at the age of 73. According to TMZ, Vogue's former creative director and one-time editor-at-large passed away on Tuesday (January 18) at a hospital in White Plains, NY. It's currently unclear why he was in the hospital. Talley worked as the Fashion News Director at Vogue from 1983 to 1987, then as Creative Director from 1988 to 1995, and Editor-At-Large from 1998-2013. He will be remembered as a trailblazer in the fashion industry. During his time at Vogue and beyond, Talley, who was considered one of the first mainstream Black American "tastemakers," pushed designers to have more Black models on the runway. In...
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Somos, Inc. Announces Hiring of Antonio Anderson as Vice President, Information Security & IT
Somos, Inc., a leading registry management and data solutions company, today announced the hiring of Antonio Anderson as its Vice President, Information Security & IT. Mr. Anderson will lead the information security program for Somos with a focus on implementing modern security policies and practices to safeguard the organization's most critical information. "As a company underpinned by innovation built on trust, Somos is keenly aware of the importance of proactively identifying and mitigating risk," said Daniele Levy, Senior Vice President and General Counsel. "Antonio's breadth of experience in information security, privacy, IT infrastructure and cyber risk management make him the perfect individual to help Somos deliver...
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President Biden Nominates First Black Woman to Serve on Federal Reserve Board of Governors
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent President Joe Biden on Friday announced the nominations of three individuals to serve on the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors, including Lisa D. Cook, a professor of Economics and International Relations at Michigan State University. If confirmed, Cook would become the first African American woman to serve in that role. A Marshall Scholar from Spelman College who received a second B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Oxford University, Cook earned a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California, Berkeley. She also served as a faculty member of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, Deputy Director...
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Dvon Williams Named Chief Communications Officer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA), the preeminent one-to-one youth mentoring organization in the United States, has announced Dvon Williams as Chief Communications Officer (CCO). Williams will lead external and internal communications, thought leadership and influencer relations. She will spearhead developing and executing an integrated communications strategy that will successfully reinforce BBBSA's brand strategy and mission to make a lasting impact on the lives of young people through mentorship. An accomplished communications professional, Williams brings expertise in public relations, media, strategic brand positioning, thought leadership and executive visibility. Williams, who is Black and Latina, also brings a personal passion for serving youth, especially reaching communities of color, efforts...
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Black mortgage applicants are denied 84% more often than whites
The Black homeownership rate that ticked up before the pandemic has again begun to fall, spurred by a widening mortgage approval gap between Black and white applicants. A Zillow analysis of data from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA)1 shows that while overall denial rates have decreased, Black applicants are increasingly more likely than white borrowers to be denied a mortgage. Black applicants are denied a mortgage at a rate 84% higher than that of white applicants — a big jump from 2019, when the disparity sat at 74%. In the U.S., 19.8% of Black applicants are denied a mortgage, the highest among all races, and much higher than...
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Get more Vitamin D this winter; try increasing your sunlight in these cities
For a large part of the nation, winter is brutal. Days are shorter, temperatures are colder, and some suffer from a holiday hangover of initially struggling to reacclimate to their routine. For overall improved health a quick winter getaway may be just what the doctor ordered, especially for African Americans. “Those most at risk for low vitamin D levels are people of color,” Pennsylvania State University molecular immunology professor Margherita T. Cantorna told The Washington Post. “Dark -skinned individuals are more likely than fair-skinned individuals to be low for vitamin D year-round because the darker skin blocks the UVB rays from producing vitamin D. But even...
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History-Making Quarters Featuring Maya Angelou Ship Out To Banks Across US
By Cherranda Smith, Black Information Network Quarters featuring poet Maya Angelou are officially in circulation. The US Mint announced Monday (January 10) that the history-making quarters shipped out to banks across the US. Maya Angelou is the first Black woman to be featured on a US quarter. The design featuring the late poet laureate and author is the first in the "American Women Quarters Program" which will put out multiple quarters featuring trailblazing women in American history over the next four years. "Each 2022 quarter is designed to reflect the breadth and depth of accomplishments being celebrated throughout this historic coin program," US Mint Deputy Director Ventris C. Gibson said in a statement. "Maya Angelou, featured...
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